Any father who is involved in any aspect of family law finds the experience emotionally and often financially draining. And it is precisely because of the high emotional costs and the financial risks that fathers need good legal representation. But how does a dad find a good family law attorney, one who will be sure and represent the father's interests and protect his rights? And how does a father select the best of all the alternatives and find a lawyer with whom he can communicate effectively and work through all the complexities of these delicate situations?
Make A List of What You Want
The most important first step for a dad seeking a good family law attorney is to determine what it is you want the attorney to do for you. It is often easy to think that the attorney will simply "handle your case" without knowing what you expect. In order to develop a good relationship with your lawyer, you need to be clear yourself about what you want out of the relationship. The following questions are ones you should consider before embarking on your search:
- Do you want your lawyer to pretty much run the case and consult you occasionally, or do you want more involvement?
- Are you more concerned about protecting your financial interests or about maintaining a relationship with your children?
- Are you willing to explore alternative dispute resolution options such as mediation or arbitration rather than going to court?
- Are you considering joint custody?
- Is your impending divorce friendly, or will it likely be a major battle dealing with your spouse?
- Is there a likelihood you will remain in the geographic area where your family is or might you (or them) be moving away after the divorce?
- Is the cost of your attorney a major issue or a minor one?
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